Have a Holly, jolly Christmas
by Violet Rose in The Clouds
Summary: It's the most wonderful time of the year, and everyone's preparing for the grand celebrations that's to come. But the main charm of the event is not the feasts, nor the gifts, but the joy of having heart-warming moments with family and friends alike.


Chapter 1: Final briefing.

All around Holly in the nut-brown lodge, Christmas ornaments decorated almost every single wall and corner, and snowflakes drifted carelessly down upon the drab city of Danville which contributed to the enormous sea of snow that formed the holiday back-drop.

Six girls in oversized, orange overshirts and brown trousers formed a single row in front of a similarly garbed leader; the main difference was where a beret decorated with a small, red diamond on the front rested on the heads of the girls, a larger one was propped upon the leader's head, with a large red bow that adorned the front.

The park that used to be so green and warm in the summer was white and icy, driving most people away into the warmth of their houses, their friends' or relatives, leaving almost no one but Fireside squad Four-Six-Three-Two-One in their park lodge as their meeting point.

The meeting point where the squad would embark upon the most dreaded, dreary task of the season.

"Walking through three-foot snow and being forced to shovel snow out of a _hundred_ driveways." Adyson groaned. "What could _possibly_ be more fun?"

"Walking through three-foot snow and being forced to shovel snow out of _two_ hundred driveways." Sarcasm dripped from Ginger's voice. "That's what's more fun."

Holly twisted her head to the left as she listened to the two conversing.

"This _stinks_!" Adyson snapped. "We didn't have to do it last year."

"That's because there was practically _no_ snow last year." Ginger retorted. "If I remember correctly, you were the one complaining about how you wanted it to snow so badly, you would gladly take on any tasks that came along with winter next year."

"Oh, shut up." Adyson huffed and folded her arms as she turned away from Ginger. "I hate shoveling."

"Girls, to attention!"

A stretch of Isabella's arm revealed a miniature booklet of stapled papers, which made the Fireside Girls snap to attention. The sounds of rustling, moving paper evaporated into the chilly air as Isabella turned the papers, stopping and smiling only when she reached a page. "Okay. Are we ready, kids?"

The six Fireside girls sat up ramrod-straight, saluting. "Aye-aye, Captain!"

Isabella smiled. "I can't hear you!"

 _ **"** **Aye, aye, Captain!"**_

Isabella nodded. "Now, ah-hem." A hand shifted up the booklet's side and softly held the sheets. "Due to the terrible weather left in the wake of yesterday's blizzard, Operation C.U.S.S. has been initiated to help us earn the 'Altruistic Helpers' patch, which means we have to split into two groups to cover the streets in need of a good clearing, as indicated by Fireside Regional Command. Now, as for the details..."

But she was interrupted when a gloved hand was raised and waved. Isabella blinked as she tilted her head. "Yes, Milly?"

Milly shook her head and raised an eyebrow. "What's cuss? It sounds like something angry people would do."

Isabella brows furrowed as she stared straight at her. "C.U.S.S, Milly," Isabella explained. "Is an acronym, which stands for Clean up Snowy Streets. The phrase itself is explanatory. Remember the refresher briefing last Monday?"

Milly's face scrunched up as her eyes drifted to the left and above her leader's head. "Um, no."

"She wasn't here, Milly." Holly piped up. "I passed the event details to her after the briefing was over, remember?"

"Oh, right!" Milly and Isabella's eyes widened. Thanks."

"But getting back on track," Isabella continued. "We need to clear all the driveways of the streets as indicated by Regional Command before five if we are to. Now let's split up into two teams. Get in the sub-group positions just like we've rehearsed!"

Holly saw Isabella carefully watching the group as Gretchen and Ginger stood behind Isabella, leaving Milly, Katie, Adyson and Holly to form a column; the second sub-group.

"Good." Isabella remarked. "Katie, do you have the list of your sub-group's destinations?"

Katie flashed a slip of paper and a screenshot of the list itself in front of Isabella. "Yes, with a backup just in case!"

Isabella nodded. "Excellent! Everyone, prepare to synchronise your watches."

All seven of them held out their arms, their free hands pressing the sides of their watches.

"It is now eight-oh-nine in the morning." Isabella announced. "To reiterate, the ideal end-time is four p.m. for Sub-Team One and five for Sub-Team Two. Ready?"

" _Aye, aye, Captain!"_

"Then let us synchronise!" Isabella announced.

With the lodge's fist-sized strontium clock constructed by Phineas and Ferb, the Fireside Girls' watches formed a wireless connection with the clock's computer system, synchronising their watches' times with the clock. With one of the most accurate clocks in the world placed in their lodge to tune their watches to, no one in the Fireside squad could argue about how their watches' displayed times were off.

"Okay, just remember to take your packed lunches before we move out. Fireside Girls, disperse!"

The squad then did as instructed and formed an orderly line and paced out of the door, separating back into their two sub-squads once the lodge's door was closed and locked.

"Alright, sub-squad one, prepare to move out! First stop…" Isabella's eyes started to shimmer as she trailed off. "…Phineas street."

Holly blinked as she struggled with the desire to mirror Adyson's move of rolling her eyes.

* * *

 **A/N: Well, here it is! ValveTime's first fanfiction story to be published! To anyone who came across and read the story, feel free to leave constructive feedback so I'll know where to improve!**


End file.
